As their lips met, a thunderous explosion seemed to go off in Ah Yin's mind, shattering her thoughts into pieces and leaving her mind blank.
At that moment, she even forgot to resist. Whether it was out of shock or fear, her eyes widened suddenly, and the remnants of anger in her gaze were nowhere to be found.
Even her delicate body stiffened completely in an instant.
Perhaps Ah Yin had anticipated that such a day would come, but she stubbornly refused to admit it, or perhaps she had never truly considered it...
But no matter what, this wasn't the right time, and they certainly shouldn't have reached this point so quickly.
However, whatever thoughts were racing through her mind, Su Cheng clearly had no intention of stopping.
One arm wrapped around Ah Yin's waist, while the other hand, which had at some point set down the wine jar, cradled the back of her head, gently stroking her silky, seaweed-like hair.
Then, his tongue pried open her shell-like teeth and invaded her mouth, capturing her stiff, shy tongue, teasing it gently.
The taste of alcohol, mingled with faint floral scents and other complex, indistinguishable aromas, slowly dissolved on Su Cheng's taste buds.
He licked away the remaining traces of wine, savoring the flavors that seemed far more exquisite than the Hundred Flowers Brew from before.
As he delicately savored the differences, his tongue flexibly retreated, returning to lick her soft pink lips, occasionally grazing her neat, white teeth...
"..."
Ah Yin was utterly stunned by Su Cheng's series of highly skilled maneuvers.
It seemed like several seconds passed, or perhaps it felt like an eternity, before she finally realized what had just happened in that instant.
That agile tongue was constantly wreaking havoc inside her mouth, sometimes gently licking her lips, other times exploring deeper, entangling with her own tongue...
"You... um... mmm..."
Ah Yin tried to speak, but her voice came out as muffled, hoarse sounds.
So she extended her arms, trying to push against Su Cheng's chest while tilting her head back and instinctively retreating.
But those strong arms that held her head and waist made it impossible for her to move much.
Her attempts to resist were weak and powerless, incapable of withstanding Su Cheng's fierce advances.
As time passed, a deep blush quickly spread across her delicate, pale face. At the corners of her eyes, a flush of red appeared, like sparkling rubies, exuding an allure that was completely different from before.
The clear, water-like eyes that had been full of clarity now seemed dazed and half-closed, with a thin mist rising within them.
Her expression had long since transformed from initial anger and shame to a seductive and bewildered daze.
Perhaps it was due to the lingering effects of the Hundred Flowers Brew she had just consumed, or perhaps it was the result of Su Cheng's skill, coupled with the faint feelings she had buried deep inside...
In any case, at this moment, Ah Yin's mind was a complete blur. She had no idea where she was, as if she were being carried away by him into another world beyond her imagination.
"Mmm—"
Soft panting, mixed with faint moans, escaped from her lips and nose, blending with the lingering scent of alcohol, fermenting into something far more intoxicating than any aged liquor...
Suddenly, Ah Yin's gradually softening body stiffened once more.
In the next instant, a much stronger struggle erupted from within her.
At some point, Su Cheng's hand had ventured beyond her waist, beginning to roam across the surface of her supple, delicate body.
His hand slid over the beautiful curve beneath her waist, lightly squeezing her firm buttocks, then slowly ascended from her thigh...
Over her smooth, flat stomach, brushing against her tiny, hidden navel, until finally reaching the soft, yet firm mound of her chest...
"Slap!"
A crisp sound echoed as a clear red handprint appeared on Su Cheng's cheek, and their lips parted as a result.
"You... you..."
A trembling, hoarse voice escaped Ah Yin's mouth.
She forcefully pushed Su Cheng away, extending her arm to point at his face, her eyes snapping out of their earlier daze, and her lips trembling uncontrollably.
Whether due to anger, embarrassment, or the strange, tingling sensation coursing through her body, her whole form shook, as if she might collapse at any moment.
The rise and fall of her chest was rapid, and even breathing seemed to require all her strength.
"..." Ah Yin gasped for air, taking two steps back to lean against a large tree, lowering her head as she tried to calm her tumultuous and conflicted emotions.
Her lips felt a bit burning and sore.
Perhaps it was because their kiss had lasted too long, or maybe Su Cheng had been too forceful. Her pink lips now appeared slightly swollen, glistening with a sheen that added an alluring, seductive quality to her once pure and gentle demeanor.
Time passed slowly in silence.
Leaning against the tree, Ah Yin's mind was in turmoil, filled with anger, shame, confusion, guilt, and even a tinge of regret...
How had things suddenly escalated like this? Why did this happen? She wasn't ready...
No, it shouldn't have happened at all!
They weren't supposed to have this kind of relationship!
She should have rejected his advances from the start. Even as siblings, they should have kept their distance.
After this mess, how were they supposed to interact from now on?
And that slap just now—was it too harsh? Maybe he just lost control...
No, what am I thinking? He should be the one apologizing to me. How could he do such a thing? Am I supposed to let him treat me like this?
"..."
For a long time, neither Su Cheng nor Ah Yin spoke, and the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.
Or rather, it was Ah Yin who felt extremely awkward, her face flushed, and she remained silent with her head lowered.
But as for Su Cheng, the instigator of it all, he seemed completely unfazed.
At some point, the jar of Hundred Flowers Brew had returned to his hand, and he was sipping it slowly, quietly observing Ah Yin a few steps away.
"You..." After slapping him in a fit of anger and hearing nothing in return, Ah Yin, filled with complex emotions, anxiously looked up.
But as she met Su Cheng's gaze, she froze.
He was casually drinking, his expression calm and composed.
It was as if kissing her, touching her—all of it was nothing more than routine, nothing worth making a fuss over.
"Su Cheng, what do you mean by this?!"
Seeing this, Ah Yin's eyes instantly reddened.
Her heart filled with indignation, but also a sense of grievance.
Her eyes, which hadn't shed tears during the earlier ordeal, now began to well up.
Biting her lip, she braced herself against the tree and started to turn away, ready to leave.
"Where are you going?"
Su Cheng saw this and immediately flashed to her side, once again wrapping his arm around her waist, preventing her from taking her next step.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Ah Yin's expression changed drastically as she glared up at Su Cheng in anger.
"Don't be in such a rush, hear me out first."
Su Cheng gently applied some force with his arm, pulling her down to sit on the ground beside him. He also leaned back against the trunk of the large tree.
However, this time his actions were very proper. Apart from holding Ah Yin's waist with his left arm, he made no other unnecessary movements.
Ah Yin hesitated for a moment. Caught up in some confusing and muddled thoughts she herself couldn't quite grasp, she momentarily stopped struggling. Even though this act of holding her waist was already quite intimate.
A woman's waist and a man's head are not to be touched lightly.
"Don't get so worked up, and don't misunderstand me. I don't have any intention of disrespecting you. But if I don't push a little harder, with your personality, who knows when our relationship will progress? After all, the time left for me isn't much..."
Since Tang San had reappeared from the Slaughter City two years ago, it was likely he had already started to come into contact with the inheritance of the Asura God.
"Wha-what relationship?!"
Ah Yin's body stiffened. She avoided Su Cheng's gaze, her eyes shifting to the ground, the light in her eyes trembling slightly.
Her mind was in utter chaos at this moment, not even catching the deeper meaning in Su Cheng's last sentence.
"I told you, I don't want to be your little brother." Su Cheng smiled, raised the wine jar, took a sip, and then said calmly, "I want to be your lover."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Ah Yin's expression suddenly changed at his words. Her face first flushed a deep red before quickly turning pale.
"What's wrong?" Su Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Is it so wrong to think about it?"
Though he wasn't just thinking about it—he had already taken action earlier.
"Stop saying things like that." Ah Yin shook her head, her voice gradually lowering, but her tone was resolute, "I'm much older than you, and... and... It just can't happen!"
"How much older, exactly? Don't all of you only start counting your age after you take human form? With our level of cultivation, living for thousands of years isn't a problem, so what do a few decades matter?"
"..." Ah Yin stared blankly at the ground, lost in thought.
After a while, she spoke softly, "Haven't you already got Qian Renxue and Zhu Zhuqing? Why bother telling me this..."
"Sigh, that's true." Su Cheng scratched his head. "I suppose being a man with divided affections and still saying such things to you is indeed shameless."
"No, that's not what I meant." Hearing his words, Ah Yin was momentarily stunned, then quickly shook her head to deny it. "It's me—I'm not worthy of being your lover. Don't entertain any such thoughts, we're impossible."
After saying this, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
At last, she had clearly refused him, and finally set her mind straight.
Both in words and in her heart, it felt like she had lifted a heavy burden.
There was perhaps a sense of regret, but also a wave of relief.
At last, she wouldn't have to continue tormenting herself with these nonsensical, ridiculous thoughts anymore.
But at this moment, Su Cheng tightened the arm around her waist and said calmly, "But what if I insist?"
"Su Cheng, I'm begging you, please don't force me." Ah Yin shifted slightly, her voice carrying a hint of bitterness, mingled with a plea.
"Let me be your sister, okay? Just like before, when we first met. Weren't those days nice? I won't ask anything of you. As long as we can continue to get along like that, I'll be happy."
"I'm not forcing you—you're forcing yourself." Su Cheng sighed.
"Ah Yin, why are you always so conflicted? When will you ever live a little more selfishly, a little more freely? Stop worrying so much, stop overthinking everything. You're clearly a transformed soul beast, yet you have even more concerns than humans."
He turned to look at her pale, delicate face, those eyes still trembling with slight fear, even under the long, thick lashes.
Gently stroking her soft, blue hair, Su Cheng's voice was calm and tender, "Ah Yin, say goodbye to the past. You've never done anything wrong. No matter if those memories were happy or painful, they don't matter anymore. People need to look forward. Since you once said those things to me in Spirit City, you should have been prepared for this. I'm never going to let you go."
Maybe it was because Su Cheng had never spoken to her in this way before, but at this moment, his gentle, serious tone affected her more than the earlier intense kiss.
Though it lacked the overwhelming momentum, it seeped into her heart like a gentle rain, making it even harder to resist.
Like a traveler wandering the vast desert for days without water, suddenly finding a spring of sweet, clear water—hope blossomed, and life rekindled with that nourishment.
"But..." Ah Yin covered her face with her hands, though she couldn't stop the tears from flowing through her fingers, "But it really can't happen..."
"Why not? Is it because of Tang Hao? Or Tang San?"
Though Su Cheng's voice was calm, the moment he mentioned those two names, he clearly noticed Ah Yin's body tremble slightly.
"Ah Yin, you might not know, but I met Tang Hao two years ago. With his strength, he was nothing in my eyes at that time. You should understand that I'm not exaggerating."
"..." Ah Yin remained silent.
In fact, she knew about this.
At the time, Bibi Dong had approached her. Although she wasn't sure of Bibi Dong's true intentions, she did mention encountering Tang Hao.
"But I didn't kill him," Su Cheng continued, speaking softly, "because I don't need someone's death to erase the past, and I don't think you do either. The past is just the past—it's neither glory nor shame. You only need to think about how to live more happily in the future."
"..." At some point, Ah Yin had lowered her hands. Her tear-stained face was now slightly raised, staring blankly at him.
"However, the past isn't completely without value. It's precisely because of your unique background and experiences that all your qualities as a 'human' have been polished to shine even brighter."
Su Cheng placed his hand on Ah Yin's shoulder, pulling her head to rest against his chest.
"You should know, I never cared much about external things—I've always valued the heart.
"I don't need you to be my sister, and I certainly don't need you to protect me. On the contrary, in the future, I can protect you. As long as I'm alive, you won't need to make any sacrifices for me.
"I can't promise that every moment of your future will be filled with happiness, but I can definitely fulfill your wishes.
"I know what you want, and I know what I can give you."